Stephen Annicchiarico

Stephen is the practice leader of the intellectual property and technology practice at WRP Legal and Advisory.

Stephen advises on a broad range of intellectual property and technology matters, including intellectual property commercialisation, brand protection, technology transactions and other related matters, such as trade marks, copyright, confidential information, financial services, privacy, and competition and consumer law.

Stephen’s practice includes working with ASX-listed companies and some of Australia’s largest start-ups across a broad range of intellectual property and technology matters.

Practice Areas:

• Intellectual Property (trade marks, copyright, confidential information, designs, business reputation)
• Technology (ecommerce, software, apps, websites, domains, hosting and data)
• Privacy and Cybersecurity
• Digital and Social Media
• Competition and Consumer
• Financial Services and Payments
• General Corporate and Commercial, including capital raising, and share, business, and asset sales

Recent Experience:

Stephen’s recent experience includes advising:

• the world’s premier motorsport series on intellectual property matters
• ASX-listed companies in the provision of intellectual property advice
• major international digital gift card retailer, including intellectual property matters, including Federal Court trade mark injunctionagainst major international financial institution
• start-ups in capital raising from major private equity and venture capital firms, including recent raises of:
  • $50m for an allied health SaaS platform
  • $25m for an agri-tech business
• AFL football club in intellectual property protection, and corporate and commercial matters;
• major clients in trade mark disputes, including:
  • an ecommerce client against Instagram (in AU, US, UK and EU);
  • an Australian professional tennis player against Kelloggs;
  • a major property developer against Citigroup;
  • residential villages against a NASDAQ-listed hotel provider; and
  • a carbontech start-up against an ASX-listed institution.

Awards:

• 2025 – Doyle’s Guide – Leading Intellectual Property Law Firms – South Australia
• 2025 – Doyle’s Guide – Leading South Australian Intellectual Property Lawyer
• 2025, 2024 – Partners of the Year – Lawyers Weekly – Finalist – Intellectual Property
• 2025, 2024 – Partners of the Year – Lawyers Weekly – Finalist – Financial Services
• 2024 – Partners of the Year – Lawyers Weekly – Finalist – Technology
• 2023 – 30 Under 30 – Lawyers’ Weekly – Winner – Intellectual Property
• 2023, 2022 – 30 Under 30 – Lawyers’ Weekly – Finalist – Financial Services
• 2023, 2022 – Rising Star – Australasian Lawyer
• 2022 – 30 Under 30 – Lawyers’ Weekly – Finalist – Intellectual Property
• 2020 – Dean’s List of Excellence in Academic Performance – University of New South Wales:
  • International and Comparative Intellectual Property Law
  • Financial Law and Regulation in the Age of Fintech

Qualifications:

• Fundação Getulio Vargas (Brazil) – Certificate in Fintech Law
• University of New South Wales – Master of Laws in Intellectual Property, Media and Technology Law (with Excellence)
• University of Adelaide – Bachelor of Laws
• University of Adelaide – Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)

Memberships/Directorships:

• Sweaty Betty Australia – Clothing Brand – Director
• Maxm Skate – Medtech Start-up – Director
• Data Sentinel – Database Provider – Director
• Adelaide Baroque – Baroque Music Charity – Director
• Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand
• Law Society of South Australia – Member